The US & Iran - diplomacy or war

There are basically two ways to resolve international conflict. Nations can either engage with each other, talk through their differences and attempt to find some middle ground or they can engage in violent conflict.

Auntie is reporting that way back in 2003 Iran made a proposal to the United States that included a number of concessions, including most of what the US is currently asking for, in exchange for an end to hostilities.

The State Department was encouraged and thought it should be accepted but then Dick "the Evil One" Cheney caught wind of the plan and that was the end of that. Should the US end up at war with Iran will Mr. Cheney be able to look the parents of any of the dead soldiers in the eye and say that "it's worth it"? (Unfortunately the answer to that question is probably yes.)

What did the Iranians offer?

• A promise to end support for Lebanese and Palestinian militant groups
• Iranian assistance in bringing stability to Iraq following the US-led invasion.
• Making its nuclear programme more transparent.

What did they want in return?

• The end US hostility to the regime in Tehran.
• The end to unilateral US sanctions
• The disbandment of the Iranian rebel group the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (they would undoubtedly be considered terrorists if they weren't opposed to the Iranian government) and repatriation of its members from Iraq, where they were sheltering, to Iran.

The news of this miss opportunity was broken by form State Department official Lawrence Wilkerson on Newsnight last night. He said that when the offer was communicated to the White House and into the VPs hands "the old mantra of 'We don't talk to evil'... reasserted itself."

I guess it is a good thing that Unca Dick doesn't talk to himself in that case.